The invention relates to a coupler element for coupling an injection nozzle to a connector neck coaxial with it on an injection line for a fuel system.
A known coupler element of this type (German Patent 34 28 597) is embodied as a U-shaped spring clamp, its crossbar extending transversely to the longitudinal extension of the injection nozzle, and its legs on the one hand, with tabs bent radially inward at the edge, engaging a circumferential groove on the injection nozzle, and on the other hand having openings into which the locking collar on the connector neck can be snapped into place for locking. For radial fixation of the spring clamp in the circumferential groove of the injection nozzle, the tabs have concavely extending circular arc shaped segments, which correspond in radius to that of the circumferential groove. In assembly, first the spring clamp is slipped onto the injection nozzle, causing the legs to snap into place in the circumferential groove. Then the injection nozzle, provided with the spring clamp, is thrust axially into the connector neck. To enable the legs to slide over the locking collar, they are bent outward in the insertion direction and are spread apart by the locking collar during the insertion. As soon as the locking collar has snapped into place in the opening, the legs snap back into their initial position.
A spring clamp of this type, stamped from sheet metal, has the advantage of very simple assembly. The spring clamp is slipped into the injection nozzle by a machine, and the preassembled unit is inserted axially into the connector neck of the injection line until the spring clamp snaps into place. In this way major axial forces can be transmitted without generating any moments of flexion.